New owners sought for Whiteleys

A YORKSHIRE-based garden centre is seeking new owners, after being placed into administration.

A buyer is being sought for the business and assets of Whiteleys Garden Centre in Mirfield, near Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, after it was placed in the hands of joint administrators, Julian Pitts, Bob Maxwell and Andrew Dick of Begbies Traynor.

The centre, which has traded for 25 years, sells plants, garden furniture, pets and aquatics supplies, and also has a cafe.

The company’s turnover is estimated to be more than £2m, and the assets include its freehold site and “significant levels” of stock, the administrators said.

The spokesman added: “The business employs 45 full and part-time staff and there are no plans to make any redundancies.”

Mr Pitts said: “This is a well-established and viable business which has suffered from financial pressures that are not related to its day-to-day operations. We are continuing to trade the business and the garden centre will be running as usual while a buyer is sought.

“We want to reassure customers that the garden centre will be open as normal during the busy Christmas period and its full schedule of festive events will go ahead as planned.

“This is a long established business with a loyal customer base and represents an excellent investment opportunity.

“We expect it to generate a high level of interest which we anticipate will result in securing a future for one of the area’s most popular garden centres.”